FIFA 2022: Race for Last 16 begins, Qatar & Canada out; how teams stand in points table till Nov 28

New Delhi: The group stage matches for FIFA 2022 in Qatar is coming to a closure and now just a few matches are left that will decide the outcome of teams heading to next stage. Of all the 32 teams participating in the biggest football tournament, only 16 will move to the next stage. From there, will begin a fierce & knock-out battle eventually preparing the stage for grand finale on December 18.

Till November 28, the host country Qatar and Canada have been confirmed to face elimination form the Round 16 however, all other teams remain in contention for the Last 16, though many have dim chances. Even, teams with football stars Messi & Ronaldo are trying it hard to make it to the quarter finals.

In Group A, Qatar is the first team to face elimination from the Last 16 race while teams like Netherlands, Ecuador & Senegal are in contention for the next stage.

In Group B, 4 teams namely England, Iran, USA & Wales are fighting it out for booking a berth in the Last 16. England has almost secured a place in the knock-out stage while Iran & USA will battle it out for an entry into the final 16. If USA beats Iran, it will mark its first ever entry in the Group of 16. Wales finds itself in a tricky situation as it will have to defeat England by a big margin for keeping its hopes alive.

A total of 36 teams are participating in the football carnival, which began on November 20 and will culminate on December 18. A total of 48 matches are being played before the Round of 16 (knockout stage). The Round of 16 will take place between Dec 3 to Dec 7, which will be highly exciting & exhilarating for football fans.

32 teams were divided into 8 groups namely A, B, C, D & more. From each group, two teams will advance into the Round of 16. In the knock-out stage, the losing side will get automatically eliminated from the tournament & 4 semi-finalists will vie for a final berth, on December 14 & 15. The final face-off of FIFA will take place on December 18, 2022.

Here is how the teams stack up in numbers: